Personal communications device case connector system

ABSTRACT

A personal communications device case belt connection system incorporates a thin plate having an aperture with a periphery and a peripheral channel. A wafer sized to be received in the aperture, engages the peripheral channel and periphery of the aperture to be secured in the plate. The wafer incorporates a connection, to a belt clip. The aperture in the plate and the wafer are hexahedral having two obtuse angled surfaces for self alignment. The wafer incorporates a peripheral groove engaging at least a portion of the periphery of the aperture and the plate further includes a resilient flap extending from a top of the aperture to engage the peripheral groove of the wafer to secure the wafer in the aperture. A belt clip incorporating a semicircular channel receives a disk sized to be received in the semicircular channel and attached to a front surface of the wafer. Alternatively, the wafer is attached by a spring to a belt clip scissor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to the field of cases and attachments for cellular mobile phones and other personal communications devices and more particularly to a system for attachment of a case to a belt clip using a substantially flush multihedral wafer received into a plate with engagement of a mating aperture edge.

2. Description of the Related Art

Cellular phones and other personal communications devices are carried by a substantial portion of the global population. While certain phones have a slim profile for insertion in a pocket or purse, most phones are carried using a case with a clip that attaches to a belt or purse strap. There are numerous case designs including leather or synthetic material wrap-around cases that are particularly prevalent for “flip” phones. Many cases include a disconnection arrangement for a belt clip that allows the clip to remain on the belt or purse strap but allows the phone, still residing in the case, to be removed for use. In other situations, it is desirable to firmly fix the case to the belt clip to preclude inadvertent removal and loss of the phone. Additionally, various cases could be used with a common belt clip thereby reducing the overall cost of production and distribution of the case and clip.

It is therefore desirable to provide a system for attachment of a cellular phone case to a belt clip that is modular allowing various connection scenarios and use of alternate cases with the same clip.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a case belt connection system for cell phones or similar personal communications devices incorporating a plate having an aperture with a periphery and a peripheral channel. A wafer sized to be received in the aperture, engages the peripheral channel and periphery of the aperture to be secured therein. The wafer incorporates a connection to a bell clip. In one exemplary embodiment, the belt clip incorporates a semicircular channel and a disk sized to be received in the semicircular channel and attached to a front surface of the wafer. In an alternative embodiment, the wafer is attached by a spring to a belt clip scissor.

For an exemplary embodiment, the aperture in the plate and the wafer are hexahedral having two obtuse angled surfaces for self alignment, in that exemplary embodiment, the wafer incorporates a peripheral groove engaging at least a portion of the periphery of the aperture and the plate further includes a resilient flap extending from, a top of the aperture to engage the peripheral groove of the wafer to secure the wafer in the aperture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein;

FIG. 1 is a top view of a belt clip for use with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the belt clip;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the belt clip;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the belt clip showing the disengagement button;

FIG. 5 is a front view of an exemplary embodiment of the wafer attachment plate of the present invention with a wafer having a belt clip connection disk installed in the attachment plate;

FIG. 6A is a front view of the exemplary embodiment of the wafer with the belt clip connection disk;

FIG. 7 is a side edge view of the wafer of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a top edge view of the wafer of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a front view of the attachment plate with the water removed;

FIG. 10A is an end section view of the attachment plate;

FIG. 10B is a side section view of the attachment plate;

FIG. 11 is a rear view of a cell phone case with the attachment plate installed;

FIG. 12 is a front view of a belt clip with an integrated wafer;

FIG. 13 is a side view of the belt clip of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a rear view of the belt clip of FIG. 12;

FIG. 15 is an end view of the belt clip of FIG. 12;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1 through 4 show a cell phone belt clip 10 incorporating a semicircular channel 12 adapted to receive a disk on a personal communications device such as a cell phone or the associated case to secure the case to the clip. A removal button 14 is engaged to a retention knob 16 located on the lace 18 of the clip central to the semicircular channel. Depressing the button axially into the clip body releases the knob which engages a dimple in the disk allowing the disk to slide from the semicircular channel. As shown in FIG. 2, the clip incorporates a scissor back 20 urged by a spring 22 for contact with a rear surface of the clip body allowing the clip to be inserted over a belt or strap which is then releasably engaged between the clip body and scissor.

FIG. 5 demonstrates the functional elements of the present invention in an exemplary embodiment. A plate 30 receives a wafer 32 carrying disk 34 in an aperture 38 having a peripheral channel 36. As shown in FIGS. 6-8, the wafer has a peripheral edge 42 which incorporates a groove 43. The groove engages the edge of aperture 38 in the plate upon insertion of the wafer into the aperture. The portion of the wafer to the front of the groove has a peripheral dimension slightly greater than the mating edge of the aperture, the edges of the front portion are capture the peripheral channel to secure the wafer in the plate.

FIGS. 9, 10A and 10B show the plate with the wafer removed. A rigid flap 40 is present at a top end of the aperture to engage a top edge of the groove in the wafer to latch the wafer into position. The wafer is inserted into the aperture from

behind the peripheral channel and slides into engagement mating channel in the groove and the peripheral channel constraining the upper surface. The flap is resilient and is depressed by the wafer during insertion, springing back into position when the wafer is fully inserted. To remove the wafer, the flap is slightly depressed, disengaging from the groove in the wafer allowing the wafer to slide toward the top of the aperture. When clear of the channel the wafer is lifted out.

For the embodiments shown, the plate is fabricated from polystyrene or similar plastic and can be made with minimal thickness of approximately 0.5 mm or less. The wafer can also be made with minimal thickness, requiring only sufficient depth for delineation of the front portion and groove for positive engagement in the aperture of the plate.

For the embodiment shown, the wafer and aperture are hexahedral in shape with two obtuse angled edges received in mating angled portions of the peripheral channel. This configuration provides a self centering of the wafer for insertion. Three orthogonal edges are received in mating sides of the aperture with one edge engaging the flap.

The minimal thickness of the plate and wafer allows the plate to be inserted in or affixed to a variety of cell phone cases. As shown in FIG 11, the plate is accommodated in a pocket 50 in the case 52 with a matching aperture 54 to expose the aperture in the plate to receive the wafer. When used with a wafer having an attachment disk as shown in FIGS. 5-8, the cell phone case can be engaged and disengaged from a belt clip as shown in FIGS. 1-3. As previously described, this allows use of the cell phone in the case without removal of the belt clip from the belt or strap to which it is secured via the scissor back and spring. The pocket may be formed externally in the case fabric or the plate may be inserted into the case and aligned with an aperture of like dimensions to the aperture in the plate with the plate front surface adhesively affixed to the inner fabric of the cell phone case.

In alternative embodiments, the back surface of the plate is adhesively affixed to the rear of the cell phone case or directly to the body of the cell phone. The plate configuration with aperture is alternatively molded directly into the cellphone body.

FIG. 12 shows an alternative embodiment of a belt clip for use with the present invention wherein a wafer 46 replaces the body of the clip. As shown in FIG. 13, the wafer is attached to a scissor back 44 by a spring 48. The wafer has the shape and edge features as previously described for wafer 32. Engagement of the wafer into the plate now provides a positive engagement between the cell phone case and clip with the cell phone case acting as one engaging surface with the mating scissor around the belt or strap which requires that the clip be removed, from the belt, or strap for use of the phone, or the phone removed from the case. This positive engagement prevents inadvertent disengagement of the clip from the cell phone case such as by unintentionally depressing the button in the first described embodiment. The clip is removable from the case by disengaging the wafer from the plate using the flap as previously described.

Having now described the invention in detail as required by the patent statutes, those skilled in the art will recognize modifications and substitutions to the specific embodiments disclosed herein. Such modifications are within the scope and intent of the present invention as defined in the following claims. 

1. A personal communications device case belt connection system comprising: a plate having an aperture with a periphery and a peripheral channel; a wafer sized to be received in the aperture, engaging the peripheral channel and periphery of the aperture to be secured therein; and, means for attachment of the wafer to a belt clip.
 2. The personal communications device case belt connection system as defined in claim 1 wherein the belt clip incorporates a semicircular channel and the means for attachment comprises a disk sized to be received in the semicircular channel and attached to a front surface of the wafer.
 3. The personal communications device case belt connection system as defined in claim 1 wherein the wafer is attached by a spring to a belt clip scissor.
 4. The personal communications device case belt connection system as defined in claim 1 wherein the aperture and wafer are hexahedral.
 5. The personal communications device case belt connection system as defined in claim 4 wherein the wafer incorporates a peripheral groove engaging at least a portion of the periphery of the aperture.
 6. The personal communications device ease belt connection system as defined in claim 4 wherein the plate further includes a resilient flap extending from a top of the aperture to engage the peripheral groove of the wafer to secure the water in the aperture.
 7. The personal communications device case belt connection system as defined in claim 1 further comprising a cell phone case in which the plate is received, the cell phone case having an aperture substantially identical to and aligned with the aperture in the plate. 